Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger suffers boos on day one following defeat to Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium

Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, criticised referee Anthony Taylor and
again defended his transfer policy after coming under fire from supporters
following a surprise 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on
Saturday.

Under pressure: Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, saw his decision making questioned by his own supportersPhoto: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Taylor enraged Arsenal followers with a string of decisions, including a 61st-minute penalty against Laurent Koscielny that led to Villa’s second goal. The Arsenal defender was sent off seven minutes later after receiving his second yellow card.

Wenger said: “I didn’t like his performance but more than his performance I didn’t like his spirit, the way he refereed the game.”

When asked to explain his comment about the Wythenshawe official, Wenger said: “No,” but then added: “You ask me a frank opinion I don’t like to lie so I tell you I didn’t like what he did. Despite that we could have won the game and that is what we have to focus on. We have to focus on how the team respond.

“The linesman said to me he didn’t give a penalty and he was level with the tackle, so why does the referee who did not give the penalty at the start, suddenly give the penalty? That is amazing to me.

“We could have won the game despite his decisons. I didn’t like the way the game was refereed it was deeper question than just one decision for me.”

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Fans chanted “spend some f------ money” and several home-made posters reading “Spend, Spend, Spend” were displayed behind the managers’ dug-outs as Villa, with two goals from Christian Benteke and a late effort by Antonio Luna, overcame Olivier Giroud’s early opener for the home side.

Supporters are unhappy that, despite money being made availabe to Wenger to spend in the summer transfer window, the only arrival is Yaya Sanogo, who was on the substitutes’ bench on Saturday.

Bids for Liverpool striker Luis Suárez have fallen well short of the Merseyside club’s valuation of the Uruguayan striker, who is currently suspended.

Wenger said: “Could we have won the game with the players on the pitch today? For me, that is the real question. I say, yes. We didn’t lose today because of that. After that, if we do not spend the money, it is because we do not find the players.

“We are ready to buy the players if we find the players who are good enough for us. People say buy players, buy players, buy players. But tell me who.Then it becomes much more problematic.”

Paul Lambert, the Aston Villa manager, was understandably impressed with his side’s efforts. “I think everybody up and down the country would have thought it was a home banker really, but I have got lads in there who are really good, top footballers,” he said.